For weeks, the New York Rangers have been involved in the rumor mill about a potential reunion with J.T. Miller. However, it might be a mistake for president and general manager Chris Drury to pull the trigger – especially when hearing some of the latest rumblings.
Related: Rangers’ Top 5 Players Halfway Through the 2024-25 Season
On Saturday, it was a question on whether Miller was even going to play for the Vancouver Canucks due to a trade becoming potentially imminent. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday Headlines that he believed the Rangers were the other party involved in those serious talks – but as of now – any deal the two sides may have had is off.
Further to that report, Rangers beat writer Larry Brooks of the New York Post dropped some shocking details. Alexis Lafreniere was a player named to go the other way in a Miller trade, as well as potentially Braden Schneider (from ‘Surging Rangers will face plenty of distractions again with trade deadline coming,’ New York Post, Jan. 19, 2025).
J.T. Miller Makes the Rangers Better But Not Enough
It’s unclear why the trade fell through – but there is a lot to unpack here. First let’s acknowledge that yes, Miller would likely be an upgrade over Lafreniere today.
The 2011 first-round pick by the Rangers is coming off three consecutive seasons where he’s been at least a point-per-game player including a 103-point season and a 99-point one. Sure, the 31-year-old’s production is down in 2024-25 (just 31 points in 35 games) – but he’s been visibly frustrated and his play even got ripped on by head coach Rick Tocchet last week publicly, who told reporters after a blowout loss against the Los Angeles Kings that it seems “every time he’s on the ice, something bad happens.”
Miller would likely benefit from a change of scenery and he’s an elite playmaker with the versatility to play both center and wing. But you have to ask yourself, does he make the Rangers better enough? And the truth is he doesn’t. It doesn’t fix the abysmal defensive play, as the Rangers give up the third most high-danger chances in the league, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Trading Lafreniere Would Not Age Well
While Miller is a star player, involving Lafreniere in the deal to get him makes almost no sense. For one, while the Rangers have found their winning touch again, there is still no guarantee that they will make the playoffs. As things stand, the Blueshirts sit four points out of a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Miller will turn 32 years old in March – which means he could be 33 by the next time the Rangers qualify for the postseason. When that happens, Lafreniere will be just 24.
Yes, Lafreniere is struggling; his current 46-point pace wasn’t likely what fans were hoping for. But do you really want to give up on the 2020 first-overall pick in a down season? In reality, who hasn’t had a down season on the Rangers from Artemi Panarin to Mika Zibanejad? We’ve seen this movie play out plenty of times before. In fact, it even happened with Miller, who the Rangers traded with Ryan McDonagh in 2018 for Brett Howden, Libor Hajek, Vladislav Namestnikov, and draft picks. Oh, and Kaapo Kakko, the Rangers 2019 second-overall selection, has 13 points in 15 games since getting dealt to the Seattle Kraken.
Lafreniere, who recently signed a seven-year extension, will have its best years ahead of him. Miller should continue to supply elite play in the short term, but for how long? You can bet it won’t be for seven years.
Plus, we already have evidence of Lafreniere breaking out. And what better stage to do it than the postseason? He carried the team’s offense in the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers, even as the team’s best offensive player (Panarin) struggled to put up points. The stage wasn’t too big for the Quebec native, especially in Game 3, when he dangled around Dmitry Kulikov for a highlight reel goal. You know this type of trade wouldn’t age well. It never does.
Where Should the Rangers Draw the Line?
No question that Lafreniere should be a non-starter in a package to acquire Miller. Should Drury pivot to Elias Pettersson instead – that would present a different story and maybe a better case can be made. But you can’t give up a young star, who’s going through some struggles, for a player that’s nine years older. Of course, Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin shouldn’t even be a legitimate consideration either. Top prospect Gabriel Perreault should be off-limits as well. Giving up any of those players would make it seem like Drury was making a panic move to save the season and potentially his job.
But interestingly, The Athletic contrary to Brooks’ report said that the framework for Miller would have included Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, and some future assets (from ‘What we’re hearing about the nixed J.T. Miller trade and a new Canucks direction,’ The Athletic, Jan. 20, 2025). While it would hurt to lose Chytil, who is about six years younger than Miller – this is something you can live with. When healthy, Chytil can be a difference maker for the Blueshirts with his dynamic skillset. But that’s the issue – his medical history is concerning, which includes multiple reported concussions. So if the Rangers really like Miller, a return package including the Czech center shouldn’t scare them away. Neither should including a young defenseman like Braden Schneider. Even though the Rangers may hold some leverage with Miller carrying a no-movement clause in his contract, the Canucks aren’t just going to give away a star for nothing. The Rangers need to send some value back.
However, the problem here is the timing. The Rangers will need to fight an uphill battle to get into the postseason – even if they were to acquire Miller. A chance at the Stanely Cup may not happen again until Miller turns 33. So it might be in the Rangers’ best interest to avoid making this trade and instead move Lindgren for future assets ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. There are also other impending unrestricted free agents to sell off including Reilly Smith, and Will Borgen. After being significant buyers ahead of the trade deadline for the past three seasons, the Rangers could use more future assets, which could be not only used at the draft – but to flip for NHL talent (preferably on the defensive side of the ice.)
But a trade feels like something that will happen between now and the trade deadline, assuming Miller is willing to waive his no-movement clause to go back to New York. It will make the Rangers a better team – but Drury cannot make a bizarre decision by trading Lafreniere. But all fans can do for now is anxiously await the completion of the trade and hope that Drury doesn’t panic and give up too much.
